Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft Fired for coupon use

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countryphil87

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I have been working for a retail dept store for about a year. I have been a good employee there, never really had any problems. While at work one day, my manager called me into a back room where there was an LP guy. Long story short, he asked about a purchase I had made using a coupon and saying that I stole from the store because the coupon wasnt mine (a customer gave it to me). At this store employees can use coupons, I wasnt aware that you could not use a coupon that was given by a customer. He made me sign a statement saying i was guilty of unauthorized discounts and had to pay $50 (coupon takes $25 off a $75 purchase and i used it twice) and that It was theft and I made the store lose $50 and my name would go in some national theft database. Does this even sound right? I am still shocked, I dont know what the hell happened. I am not a thief.
 
No it does not sound right but your signed admission makes fighting this very difficult. Can you go into more detail on how (in detail) you aquired the coupon. Also (in detail) what the coupon is and how it is supposed to be used. Once again (in detail) what the LP said you did that was unlawful (theft).
 
What I admitted to was getting the coupon from a customer (when they finished using it they said they are not shopping anymore). The LP guy said that it wasnt my coupon and I wasnt entitled to it and so i was therefore stealing from the company. But this store is notorious for its coupons, the only time an employee can not use a coupon is if it states so on the back, which this coupon did not. Where he is saying i went wrong is that i took it from the customer. But if i didnt use THAT coupon, I would have probably used another. How can i be called a thief if i bought for and paid for my items. I'd rather return the stuff i BOUGHT with the coupon, than pay them the value for it. But i already signed the form, because i had no idea what was going on, they had me in a room like i was some sort of thief. Even on the form i wrote that i had no idea that i could not use the coupon or i would have just not BOUGHT the items or use a different coupon.
 
The coupon was for $25 off a $75 I didnt really know what it was for as this store often has a myriad of coupons, they just want customers to come in and shop. All I know is that there was no employee exclusions noted on it, as there are some coupons that state employees are excluded. The LP guy is saying I am wrong b/c it was not my coupon and i cant take things from the customer at the register and by using it i stole and i must pay back the value of the coupon, which was $50, because i used it on two occasions.
 
First off not being allowed to take things from customers does not make this theft in my view.
Second did the coupon have a limit of uses?

Sadly you signed admission this pretty much screws you
 
No, the coupon does not have a limit of uses. The LP guy kept telling me what I knew, and that I knew the coupon wasnt mine because it was not mailed to me and that I cost the company a loss of $50 and scared the heck out of me. Apparently it was a birthday coupon (does not state birthday coupon on the coupon) and August is not my birthday month, the bday coupon that i had during my birth month was emailed to me, this coupon was an actual paper coupon given to me after a customer was done with it. How could buying and paying for your items be stealing? In the form he had me sign that i took the coupon from a customer (which i guess is the theft because it didnt belong to me) and by using it i got a discount that i was not entitled to and cost the company a loss of $50 which i had to agree to pay back. he then said my name is gonna go into some national theft database (asis). I still have the item that i bought with the coupon (brand new havent used it)...is there anyway i can just return the items and fight this even though i signed the form? I did write in the form that i was not aware i could not use the coupon as it did not say anything on the back of it.
 
Ok more info has given new light on this. This "coupon" for a special customer on his/her birthday. You wer enot the customer and this was not a coupon available to just anyone. Its a bit of a sale job to call it "theft" in my view but you did not have the right to use the coupon and its assumed (store assumption) you knew that. They did not file theft charges with Police because this would be hard to prosecute and DA might throw it out.

Far as the return option I cannot say. This is a labor issue question. Your admission is your killing point. If your name is already in database it might be hrad to get out. However contact Store Manager ask if you return item(s) or pay full value if your name can be removed from database
 
Norman Jr said:
Pm me the name of the store.

I have extensive department store lp experience and can help.
Click to expand...


As noted by his color Normanjr is a "trusted member" so you are safe giving him any info he request
 
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